The loan process begins with an official request for the piece in question from the institution that wishes to exhibit it for a particular project. Usually, these requests arrive several months or even a year in advance. A committee then assesses the recommendation of a technical team led by Fundación Banco Santander Curator-Restorer, Marta Guibert.
The request comes with all the necessary documents to conduct the assessment: why that piece? who is the exhibition curator? Where will the piece be on display? In what conditions will it be kept? How secure are the premises? According to Guibert, “we don’t charge for loans, but must always uphold the integrity of the piece and make sure the request is sufficiently justified and documented”.
The Fundación issues an official response and an agreement is drawn up in the form of terms and conditions. This document, which is similar to a contract, includes “nail-to-nail” insurance and other aspects. The institution receiving the piece has to cover it from deinstallation, packing, transport and exhibition, to its return to the Banco Santander Collection in the same condition as it left.
Following approval of the loan, a notification is sent to Spain’s Ministry of Culture, which must authorize the temporary export permit “if the piece in question is categorized as a Bien de Interés Cultural (Asset of Cultural Value), is over 100 years old, or is registered under the Inventario General de Bienes Inmuebles (General Inventory of Personal Property)”.